theory that he could make the 2012 race a choice not just between him and mitt romney, but a choice between different ideologies, different approaches to government, between different sets of visions and values. and everything he did in that time frame he kept trying to tether to this big idea he had about a choice. and when i wrote the book, of course, we didn't know how things would end up on november 6, 2012, but, um, i looked at how he developed his governing strategy and his electoral strategy, and it really culminated in november. so this is the back story to what happened in this presidential campaign. >> david corn, "showdown" is his most recent book. we're here at the national press club. >> david nassau recounts the life of joseph p. kennedy, patriarch of the political family that included president john f. kennedy and senators robert kennedy and edward kennedy. the author examines joseph kennedy's career in business and politics which included ventures in wall street, hollywood and founding chairman of the securities and exchange commission. this is a little under an hour. [appla